


Lessons Learned

by TriplePirouette



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-13
Updated: 2014-09-13
Packaged: 2018-02-17 06:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2299307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriplePirouette/pseuds/TriplePirouette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After they return to the post-curse Enchanted forest, Belle needs to devise lessons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lessons Learned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [imagineagreatadventure](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imagineagreatadventure/gifts).



> Written for imagineagreatadventure as part of my 100 Follower Fandom Fling based on the image here: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5044/5366511252_f048244513_b.jpg . (Image credit to imaginegreatadventure) Also prompted by the phrase: “words and swords”

Their’s was a brave new world, the post-curse enchanted forest. They’d come back minus a few people and with a lot more stories. A lot more worries.

Belle and her two little ones were no different than any other inhabitants now that the curse had been broken: they wanted to be ready.

Regina had promised revenge as they’d all faded back to their old world in a cloud of purple smoke, her words echoing in their ears and their dreams. The Evil Queen always kept her promises, the question was when.

While Rumpelstiltskin worked with Snow and Emma to keep the realms safe, Belle kept their children safe in the Dark Castle. At seven and five they were inquisitive and bright and more trouble in the massive castle than they’d ever been in their pretty pink mansion.

Belle decided to move on with bravery rather than fear. She devised lessons: Words and Swords. Every day her beautiful brown haired daughter and her slight but strong son got a lesson in each. Words was fun, it was stories and strategies, histories and verbal dexterity that would make their father proud. Belle read out loud and taught them to read and fed their mind with words.

Swords hurt her to do, but she knew how important it was. At first it was games. Hide and seek. Sneaking around. Capture the flag. But soon it was defense and small weapons until finally she and her seven year old daughter were parrying in the shadow of the mountain behind the castle every evening as the sun set while her son got to be better than good with a slingshot and pebbles.

Belle didn’t know when Rumpelstiltskin would be back. In her darkest moments she wondered if he would ever be back at all. Either way, they’d be ready. Belle wanted her family, her happily ever after. Belle was always ready to fight for what she wanted, with words and swords.  


End file.
